Fire extinguisher cabinet

ABSTRACT

A fire extinguisher cabinet closure comprising a panel of transparent frangible plastic, with a central handle, secured around its edges to the cabinet. The panel is weakened in a pattern surrounding the handle, by intersecting grooves and slits so that pulling outwardly on the handle fractures the panel along the pattern to give access to the cabinet.

Ilnit States atent [1 1 Fudge FIRE EXTINGUISHER CABINET Inventor: William L. Fudge, Minneapolis,

Minn.

Larsens Manufacturing Company, Minneapolis, Minn.

Filed: Apr. 29, 1974 Appl. No.: 464,837

Assignee:

US. Cl 220/270, 220/82 R, 220/266 Int. Cl. B65d 41/32 Field of Search 220/266, 270, 82 R;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1971 Song 220/270 1 Mar. 25, 1975 3,587,913 6/1971 Fudge 220/82 R X 3,722,733 3/1973 Neumann 220/82 R Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorney, Agent, or. FirmMerch.ant, Gould, Smith & Edell [57] ABSTRACT A fire extinguisher cabinet closure comprising a panel of transparent frangible plastic, with a central handle, secured around its edges to the cabinet. The panel is weakened in a pattern surrounding the handle, by intersecting grooves and slits so that pulling outwardly on the handle fractures the panel along the pattern to give access to the cabinet.

14 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ll FIRE EXTINGUISI-IER CABINET BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the field of cabinet structures, and more particularly to closures for fire extinguisher cabinets.

It has long been the custom to place fire extinguishers in public places for ready access in case of need. To avoid tampering by unauthorized persons, the extinguishers have often been placed in cabinets behind glass doors which may be locked: in case of fire the glass is broken to give access to the extinguisher.

The above described procedure is not without its hazards. Although glass is frangible, the resulting fragments are sharp and portions often remain in the door to injure those reaching in haste for the fire extinguisher.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the purpose of this invention to provide an improved closure through which emergency access may be had easily and safely. This is accomplished by means of a panel of frangible material, preferably plastic, which hasbeen weakened, as by grooving and slots, in a pattern surrounding a central area to which a handle is secured. When emergency access is desired, a pull on the handle fractures the panel along the pattern, leaving no dangerous points or sharp edges.

A principal object of my invention is thus to provide an improved enclosure structure. More specific objects are to provide a closure structure which is easily and safely fractured under emergency conditions to give access therethrough, and to provide a cabinet front of frangible material weakened in a pattern such that a direct pull at the center thereof will fracture the pattern in a way which removes a central portion thereof.

Various other objects, advantages, and features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed outwith particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing which forms a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to the drawings, I show a fire extinguisher cabinet embodying my invention to comprise a top 11, a bottom 12, sides 13and l4, and a back 15, all preferably of metal, and a front panel 16 preferably of frangible plastic. Portions 11, 13, and 14 have frontwardly inturned lips Ila, 13a, and 14a behind which panel 16 is retained against elongated brackets 13b and 14b. The panel is supported from below by a locking arrangement, identified by the general reference numeral 17, disclosed in complete detail in my prior US. Pat. No. 3,587,913, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Panel 16 is formed with a plurality ofgrooves 20, 21, 22 and 23 extending deeply into the panel to weaken it along a predetermined pattern. These grooves intersect a plurality of slots 24, 25, 26 and 27 which extend entirely through the panel to further weaken it. It may be desirable to provide further short slots 28 and 29 if additional weakening is desired.

It will be evident that the grooves and slots combine to define a closed pattern encompassing a major central portion of the panel. While a generally octagonal pattern is shown, it will be appreciated that other patterns, not necessarily closed, may also be used.

In the center of the panela handle 30 is secured by screws 31 passing through the panel and through a reinforcing plate 32 therebehind, which functions to distribute any force applied to handle 30 more generally over the panel.

While I have shown my invention as a separate and independent panel, I consider it as equally applicable to a panel which is a part of a framed door hinged to the cabinet, or even such a door simply closing off a space not enclosed by any particular cabinet. The panel should of course be secured within the door frame, by means accessible only when the door is open, in readily replaceable fashion.

Numerous objects and advantages of my invention have been set forth in the foregoing description. together with details of the structure and function of the invention, and the novel features thereof are pointed out in the appended claims. The disclosure, however, is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts, within the principle of the invention, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

I claim:

1. An enclosure for fire extinguishers and the like comprising, in combination:

a cabinet having a front opening;

closure means for said opening including a panel of frangible material and means maintaining said panel in closing relation to said cabinet;

means weakening said panel in a predetermined pattern affecting a substantial portion of the area of said panel;

and handle means mounted on said panel within the area affected by said pattern, so that outward force applied to said handle fractures said panel to afford access to said cabinet.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the weakening means defines a closed pattern encompassing a substantial portion of the area of said panel, and the handle means is mounted within said pattern.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said panel is of frangible plastic.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the weakening means includes at least one slot extending entirely through the panel.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein the weakening means includes at least one groove extending partly through the panel and at least one slot extending entirely through the panel.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which said groove and said slot intersect.

7. The structure of claim 2 wherein said closed pattern includes at least one portion passing entirely through the panel and one portion passing only part way through the panel.

8. The structure of claim 7 in which said portions intersect.

9. The structure of claim 1 in which the handle means includes means passing through the panel and means on the back of the panel for distributing the force applied to the handle over an appreciable area of the panel.

10. The structure of claim 1 wherein said closure means includes a surrounding frame and a central panel of frangible material.

ll. The structure of claim 10 wherein said closure means includes means accessible from the inner side thereof for replaceably mounting said panel.

12. The structure of claim 1 in which the closure means includes lockable means retaining the panel in the front opening of the cabinet.

13. Closure means for an opening comprising a panel of frangible material;

means maintaining said panel in closing relation to said opening around the perimeter thereof;

means weakening said panel in a predetermined pattern affecting a substantial portion of the area of the panel;

and handle means mounted on said panel within the area affected by said pattern so that outward force applied to said handle means fractures said panel to afford access to said opening.

14. The structure of claim 13 in which the panel is replaceably mounted in a frame by means accessible only from the inside of the frame. 

1. An enclosure for fire extinguishers and the like comprising, in combination: a cabinet having a front opening; closure means for said opening including a panel of frangible material and means maintaining said panel in closing relation to said cabinet; means weakening said panel in a predetermined pattern affecting a substantial portion of the area of said panel; and handle means mounted on said panel within the area affected by said pattern, so that outward force applied to said handle fractures said panel to afford access to said cabinet.
 2. The structure of claim 1 in which the weakening means defines a closed pattern encompassing a substantial portion of the area of said panel, and the handle means is mounted within said pattern.
 3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said panel is of frangible plastic.
 4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the weakening means includes at least one slot extending entirely through the panel.
 5. The structure of claim 1 wherein the weakening means includes at least one groove extending partly through the panel and at least one slot extending entirely through the panel.
 6. The structure of claim 5 in which said groove and said slot intersect.
 7. The structure of claim 2 wherein said closed pattern includes at least one portion passing entirely through the panel and one portion passing only part way through the panel.
 8. The structure of claim 7 in which said portions intersect.
 9. The structure of claim 1 in which the handle means includes means passing through the panel and means on the back of the panel for distributing the force applied to the handle over an appreciable area of the panel.
 10. The structure of claim 1 wherein said closure means includes a surrounding frame and a central panel of frangible material.
 11. The structure of claim 10 wherein said closure means includes means accessible from the inner side thereof for replaceably mounting said panel.
 12. The structure of claim 1 in which the closure means includes lockable means retaining the panel in the front opening of the cabinet.
 13. Closure means for an opening comprising a panel of frangible material; means maintaining said panel in closing relation to said opening around the perimeter thereof; means weakening said panel in a predetermined pattern affecting a substantial portion of the area of the panel; and handle means mounted on said panel within the area affected by said pattern so that outward force applied to said handle means fractures said panel to afford access to said opening.
 14. The structure of claim 13 in which the panel is replaceably mounted in a frame by means accessible only from the inside of the frame. 